Many microsurgical procedures require precision cutting and/or removal of various body tissues. For example, Internal Limiting Membrane (ILM) removal and epi-retinal membrane (ERM) removal are useful surgical treatments of different macular surface diseases. However, the surgical techniques for ILM and ERM peeling require skill and patience. Precise and carefully constructed surgical instruments are used for each segment of the surgical technique.
The surgical treatment includes grasping an edge of the membrane, and peeling the membrane. The surgical technique is a two-step procedure. First, the surgeon must gain an edge of the membrane. Some surgeons use a scraper to gain the edge. Next, the surgeon introduces a special forceps to grasp and peel the membrane. However, since each step requires patience and precision, a surgeon may sometimes scrape and then attempt to grasp the tissue multiple times during a single surgical procedure.
To aid the surgeon with such a surgical procedure, the surgeon may use an imaging system that presents a microscope view of the patient's eye. Thus, the surgeon can be provided with a close-up view of the forceps, or other tool, as well as the region of the eye that is of interest. In some cases, the surgeon may also be provided with an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) image of the region of the eye that is of interest. OCT imaging generally utilizes near-infrared light and is able to get images of tissue beneath the surface. There is a need for continued improvement in the use and operability of surgical systems and tools for various ophthalmic procedures. The systems and methods discussed herein are arranged to address one or more of the deficiencies in the prior art.